#THE CENTRAL SILK BOARD ACT, 1948 
__________ 

##ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 
__________ 

SECTIONS 

1.  Short title and extent. 
2.  Declaration as to expediency of Union control. 
3.  Definitions. 
4.  Constitution of the Board. 
4A. Disqualification for being nominated or appointed as a member of Board. 
5.  Power of the Central Government in default of nominations. 
6.  Vice-Chairperson and Standing Committee. 
7.  Secretary of the Board. 
8.  Functions of the Board. 
8A. Constitution of Central Silk-worm Seed Committee. 
8B. Powers and functions of Committee. 
8C. Power to notify kinds or varieties of silk-worm seeds. 
8D. Hybrid Authorisation Committee. 
8E. Registration Committee. 
8F. Constitution of Seed Certification Agency. 
8G. Constitution of Central Seed Testing Laboratories. 
8H. Appointment of Seed Officers. 
8-I. Export and Import of Silk-worm Seed. 
8J. Statement by silk-worm seed producers. 
9.  Funds of the Board. 
10.  Imposition of cess on certain kinds of silk. 
11.  Control by the Central Government. 
12.  Accounts of the Board. 
12A. Annual report. 
13.  Power of Central Government to make rules. 
13A. Power to make regulations. 
13B. Laying of rules, regulations and notifications. 
14.  Penalties. 
14A. Penalty for contravention of sections 8C and 8E. 
15.  [Omitted.]. 
15A. [Omitted.]. 
16.  Bar of legal proceedings. 
16A. Effect of Act and rules, etc., inconsistent with other enactments. 
17.  [Omitted.]. 



#THE CENTRAL SILK BOARD ACT, 1948 

##ACT NO. 61 OF 1948

[20th September, 1948.] 

An Act to provide for the development under Central control of the silk industry and for 
  that purpose to establish a Central Silk Board. 

  WHEREAS  it  is  expedient  to  provide for the development under Central control of the silk 
industry and for that purpose to establish a Central Silk Board; 

  It is hereby enacted as follows:— 

1. **Short title and extent.**— (1) This Act may be called the Central Silk Board Act, 1948. 

(2) It extends to the whole of India. 

2. **Declaration as to expediency of Union control.**—It is hereby declared that it is expedient in the 
public interest that the Union should take under its control the silk industry. 

3. **Definitions.**—In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,— 

  (a) “Board” means the Central Silk Board constituted under this Act; 

[^6][(aa) “Central Silk-worm Seed Testing Laboratory” means the Central Seed Testing 
Laboratory established or accredited under sub-section (1) of section 8G; 

  (b) “charkha raw silk” means raw silk reeled from silk worm cocoons with the help of 
any instrument not worked by power; 

[^6][(ba) “Committee” means the Central Silk-worm Seed Committee constituted under sub-
section (1) of section 8A; 

    (bb) “dealer” means a person who carries on the business of buying and selling, export or 
import of silk-worm seed, cocoons, chawkie reared silk-worms and includes an agent of a dealer; 

    (bc) “export” means taking out of India to a place outside India;] 

  (c) “filature  raw  silk”  means  raw  silk  reeled  from  silk  worm  cocoons  with  the  help  of  any 
instrument worked by power; 

[^6][(ca) “Hybrid Authorisation Committee” means the Hybrid Authorisation Committee 
constituted under sub-section (1) of section 8D; 

    (cb) “import” means bringing into India from a place outside India; 

    (cc) “notified kind or variety” in relation to silk-worm seed means, any kind or variety 
thereof notified under sub-section (1) of section 8C;] 

  (d) “power” means any form of energy which is mechanically transmitted and is not generated by 
human or animal agency, and includes electrical energy; 

  (e) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act; 

[^6]. Ins. by Act 42 of 2006, s.2 (w.e.f. 1-7-2007). 



[^1][(ea) “Registration Committee” means the Registration Committee constituted under sub-
section (2) of section 8E; 

    (eb) “regulation” means regulation made by the Committee under this Act; 

    (ec) “silk-worm seed” or “seed” means all kinds of silk-worm seeds produced from the pure 
silk-worm races including the hybrids produced from two or more pure races, silk-worm seed 
cocoons of all kinds and moths thereof intended to be used or reared for the purpose of 
production or for commercial exploitation. 

*Explanation.*— For the purposes of this clause,— 

      (i) “pure races”  means  silk-worm  breed  or  variety  maintained  through  reproductive 
silk-worm seed with features true to the parents; 

      (ii) “hybrids” means the seed produced involving two or more pure races or parental 
races with the objective of exploiting heterosis or hybrid vigour; 

    (ed) “Silk-worm Seed Analyst” means a Seed Analyst appointed or notified under sub-section (3) 
of section 8G; 

    (ee) “Silk-worm Seed Certification Agency” means the Silk-worm Seed Certification Agency 
constituted or accredited under section 8F; 

    (ef) “Silk-worm  Seed  Officer”  means  Seed  Officer  appointed  or  notified  under  sub-section (1) 
of section 8H;] 

  (f) “spun silk” means silk yarn spun from pierced or spoilt cocoons, fluff from cocoons, pieces of 
silk, coils, or other silk waste; 

  (g) “Standing  Committee”  means  the  Standing  Committee  of  the  Board  constituted  under  sub-
section (2) of section 6. 

4. **Constitution of the Board.**—(1)  As  soon  as  may  be  after  the  commencement  of  this  Act,  the 
Central Government shall, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute for the purposes of this Act a 
Board to be called the Central Silk Board. 

(2) The  Board  shall  be  a  body  corporate  by  the  name  aforesaid,  having  perpetual  succession  and  a 
common seal, with power to acquire, hold and dispose of property, both movable and immovable, and to 
contract, and shall by the said name sue and be sued. 

(3) The Board shall consist of the following members, namely:— 

  (a) a [^3][Chairperson] to be appointed by the Central Government; 

[^4][(b) not  more  than  three  officials  to  be  nominated  by  the  Central  Government,  one  of  whom 
shall be the head of the Silk Division in the Ministry of Textiles as the [^5][Vice-Chairperson] and one 
shall be the Secretary of the Board, both being the officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary to the 
Government of India;] 

  Provided  that  it  shall  be  lawful  for  any  such  official  to  depute  in  the  prescribed  circumstances 
another official to attend any meeting of the Board on his behalf; 

[^1]. Ins. by Act 42 of 2006, s. 2 (w.e.f. 1-7-2007). 
[^3]. Subs. by Act 42 of 2006, s. 3, for “Chairman” (w.e.f. 1-7-2007). 
[^4]. Subs.by s. 4, ibid., for clause (b) (w.e.f. 1-7-2007). 
[^5]. Subs. by s. 3, ibid., for “Vice-Chairman” (w.e.f. 1-7-2007). 



  (c) six persons to be elected by Parliament, four from the House of the People by the members of 
the House of the People and two from the Council of States by the members of the Council of States; 

[^1][Provided that a member of Parliament shall, upon ceasing to be a member of the House of the 
People or as the case may be, the Council of States, cease to be a member of the Board.] 

  (d) five persons to be nominated by the Government of Karnataka, one  of  whom  shall 
represent the filature raw silk industry and two shall represent the rest of the sericulture industry; 

  (e) one person to be nominated by the Government of Tamil Nadu; 

  (f) two persons to be nominated by the Governor of West Bengal; 

  (g) one person to be nominated by each of the Governments of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, 
Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, , Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal; 

  (h) one person to be nominated by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir; 

  (i) not  more  than  three  persons  to  be  nominated  by  the  Central  Government  to  represent  the 
producers of raw silk and areas other than the States specified in clauses (d) to (g) inclusive; 

  (j) eight  persons  to  be  nominated  by  the  Central  Government,  of  whom  one  shall  represent  the 
spun-silk  industry,  one  the  silk  throwing  and  twisting  industry,  one  the  silk  weaving  industry,  one 
labour; and two of them shall be experts in sericulture. 

(4) The  members  of  the  Board  shall  receive  from  its  funds  such travelling  and other  allowances  as 
may be prescribed. 

(5) Subject to the other provisions of this Act, the term of office of a member shall be such period, 
not exceeding three years, as may be prescribed. 

(6) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (5),— 

  (a) the Central Government may terminate the appointment of the Chairperson after giving 
him notice for a period of not less than three months; 

  (b) the Chairperson may resign  his  office  by  giving  notice  in  writing  for  a  period  of  not 
less than three months to the Central Government, and on such resignation being notified in the 
Official  Gazette  by  that  Government,  the Chairperson shall  be  deemed  to  have  vacated  his 
office. 

[^11][4A. **Disqualification for being nominated or appointed as a member of Board.**—A person shall 
be disqualified for being nominated or appointed or for continuing as a member, if he— 

  (a) is not a citizen of India; or 

  (b) has been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for an offence which, in the opinion of the 
Central Government, involves moral turpitude; or 

  (c) is an undischarged insolvent; or 

  (d) has become physically or mentally incapable of acting as a member; or 

[^1]. Ins. by Act 42 of 2006, s. 4 (w.e.f. 1-7-2007). 
[^11]. Ins. by s. 5, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-7-2007). 



  (e) has acquired such financial or other interest as is likely to affect prejudicially his function as a 
member.] 

5. **Power of the Central Government in default of nominations.**—(1) If any Government other 
than the Central Government fails to make any nomination which it is entitled to make under sub-section (3) 
of section  4  within  the  time  prescribed  in  that  behalf,  the  Central  Government  may  make  the 
nomination itself. 

(2) Where  a  member  of  the  Board  dies,  resigns,  is  removed,  ceases  to  reside  in  India,  or  becomes 
incapable  of  acting,  the  authority  or  body  entitled  to  nominate  the  member  under  sub-section  (3)  of 
section 4 may nominate a person to fill the vacancy; and where such nomination is not made within the 
time prescribed in that behalf, the Central Government on its own initiative, may  make the nomination 
itself. 

(3) No  act  done  by  the  Board  shall  be  questioned  on  the  ground  merely  of  the  existence  of  any 
vacancy in, or defect in the constitution of, the Board. 

6. **Vice-Chairperson and Standing Committee.**—(1) [^1][The Vice-Chairperson shall] exercise such 
of  the  powers  and perform  such  of  the  duties  of the Chairperson as may  be  prescribed  or as  may  be 
delegated to him by the Chairperson. 

(2) The Board may, in its discretion, constitute a Standing Committee for the purpose of exercising 
such of its powers and performing such of its duties as may be delegated by it not being powers or duties 
the delegation of which is prohibited by rules made under this Act. 

(3) The  Standing  Committee  shall  consist  of  the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson, and  five 
others elected by the Board from among its members. 

7. **Secretary of the Board.**—[^4][The Secretary to the Board shall], under the control and direction of 
the Board, exercise such powers and perform such duties as may be prescribed or as may be delegated to 
him by the Board or the Chairperson. 

8. **Functions of the Board.**—(1) It shall be the duty of the Board to promote the development of 
the silk industry by such measures as it thinks fit. 

(2) Without  prejudice  to  the  generality  of  the  foregoing  provision,  the  measures  referred  to  therein 
may provide for— 

  (a) undertaking, assisting or encouraging scientific, technological and economic research; 

  (b) devising  means  for  improved  methods  of  mulberry  cultivation  rearing,  developing  and 
distributing  healthy  silkworm  seeds, reeling or, as the case may be, spinning of silkworm cocoons 
and silk waste, improving  the  quality  and  production  of  raw  silk,  if  necessary,  by  making  it 
compulsory for all raw silk to be marketed only after the same has been tested and graded in properly 
equipped raw silk conditioning houses; 

  (d) improving the marketing of raw silk; 

  (e) the collection of statistics from such persons as may be prescribed; 

[^1]. Subsby the Act 42 of 2006, s. 6, for “The Central Government shall appoint from among the members of the Board, a Vice-
Chairman who shall”(w.e.f 1.7.2007). 
[^4]. Subsby s. 7, ibid., for “The Central Government shallappoint a Secretary to the Board who shall”(w.e.f. 1-7-2007). 



  (f) carrying out any other duties which may be vested in the Board under rules made under this 
Act. 

(3) It shall also be the duty of the Board— 

[^2][(a) to advise the Central Government on all matters relating to production, supply, distribution, 
trade  and  commerce  in  silk-worm  seed,  the  development  of  the  silk  industry  and  its  products 
including export and import;] 

  (c) to prepare and furnish such reports relating to the silk industry as may be required 
by the Central Government from time to time. 

[^6][8A. **Constitution of Central Silk-worm Seed Committee.**—(1) The Central Government may, by 
notification in the Official Gazette, constitute for the purposes of this Act, a Committee to be called the 
Central Silk-worm Seed Committee consisting of— 

  (a) the Vice-Chairperson of the Board who shall be the Chairperson of the Committee, *ex officio*; 

  (b) (i) seven officials not below the rank of Deputy Secretary to the Government of India dealing 
with sericulture from the States-members; 

     (ii) two experts from the field of silk-worm seed development-members; 

     (iii) five persons to represent the sericulture sector of whom three shall be the farmers and two the 
reelers-members; 

to be nominated by the Central Government from amongst the members of the Board; 

  (c) the  Director  of  the  National  Silk-worm  Seed  Organisation  to  be  nominated  by  the  Central 
Government-member; and 

  (d) Secretary of the Board who shall be the Secretary of the Committee, *ex officio*. 

(2) The Committee may associate with it, for such purposes and in such manner as it may deem fit, 
any person whose assistance or advice it may consider necessary in complying with the provisions of this 
Act,  and  a  person  so  associated,  shall  have  the  right  to  take  part  in  the  proceedings  of  the  Committee 
relevant to the purposes for which he has been associated, but shall not have the right to vote and shall be 
entitled to receive such allowances or fees as may be prescribed by the Central Government. 

(3) A  member  nominated  under  sub-section  (1)  shall,  unless  his  seat  becomes  vacant  earlier  by 
resignation, death or otherwise, hold office for a period of three years from the date of his nomination and 
shall be eligible for re-nomination: 

  Provided that a person nominated under sub-section (1) shall hold office only for so long as he holds 
the appointment by virtue of which his nomination was made. 

(4) No act or proceeding of the Committee shall become invalid merely by reason of— 

  (i) any vacancy therein, or any defect in the constitution thereof; or 

  (ii) any matter relating to the procedure of the Committee not affecting the merits of a case. 

(5) The Central Government shall provide to the Committee such other technical and other officers 
and employees as may be necessary for the efficient performance of the functions under this Act. 

[^2]. Subs by Act 42 of 2006, s. 8, for clause (a) (w.e.f. 1-7-2007). 
[^6]. Ins. by Act 42 of 2006, s. 9(w.e.f. 1-7-2007). 



(6) (a) The Committee shall meet at such time and place and shall observe such procedure in regard 
to transaction  of  business  at  its  meeting  (including  the  quorum  at  meetings)  as  may  be  specified  by 
regulations. 

  (b) The Chairperson or in his absence any member chosen by the members present from amongst 
themselves, shall preside at a meeting of the Committee. 

  (c) All  questions at a  meeting  of  the  Committee  shall  be  decided  by  a  majority of  votes  of the 
members present and voting and in case of equality of votes, the Chairperson or in his absence, the 
person presiding over the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.] 

8B. **Powers and functions of Committee.**—(1) The Committee shall be responsible for the 
implementation of this Act by taking measures as specified in sub-section (2). 

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision, the measures referred to therein 
may provide for— 

  (i) laying down of quality standards for kind or variety of silk-worm seed; 

  (ii) authorisation of silk-worm races and hybrids for commercial exploitation; 

  (iii) laying down of quality standards for production of silk-worm seeds; 

  (iv) laying down the conditions and requirements that have to be met out by the persons desirous 
of setting up facilities for production of silk-worm seeds or grain ages; 

  (v) laying down the certification and silk-worm seed testing procedures for seeds sold by the 
registered producers; 

  (vi) undertaking the registration of silk-worm seed producers and dealers and controlling, 
supervising the inspection process to ensure adherence to the specified quality standards and seed 
certification requirements; 

  (vii) laying down the conditions and standards for export and import of silk-worm seed and 
adherence to them; 

  (viii) programming and planning of silk-worm seed production; 

  (ix) advising the Central Government and the State Governments on the matters aforesaid; and 

  (x) such other matters connected and incidental to the production, supply, distribution, trade and 
commerce in silk-worm seed, 

  as may be specified by regulations made by the Committee from time to time. 

8C. **Power to notify kinds or varieties of silk-worm seeds.**—(1) If the Central Government, after 
consultation with the Committee, is of the opinion that it is necessary or expedient to regulate the quality 
of silk-worm seed of any kind or variety for the purpose of production and for commercial exploitation, it 
may, by notification in the Official Gazette, declare such kind or variety to be a notified kind or variety 
for  the  purposes  of  this  Act  and  different  kinds  or  varieties  may  be  notified  for  different  States  or  for 
different areas thereof, and it shall be incumbent upon every producer or dealer of such silk-worm seeds 
to produce or deal with such notified kinds and varieties of silk-worm seeds and in no other. 

(2) The  Central  Government  may,  on  the  recommendation  of  the  Committee,  by  notification, 
specify— 

  (a) the  minimum  quality  standards  and  conditions  for  notified  kinds  or  varieties  of  silk-worm 
seed; and 

  (b) the  mark  or  label  to  indicate  that  such  silk-worm  seed  conforms  to  the  specified  quality 
standards. 

8D. **Hybrid Authorisation Committee.**—(1) The Committee shall constitute a Hybrid Authorisation 
Committee consisting of the Secretary of  the  Board  who  shall  be  the  Chairperson  of  the  Hybrid 
Authorisation Committee and such number of other members to assist him in the discharge of his duties 
as the Committee may determine. 

(2) It shall be the duty of the Hybrid Authorisation Committee to either suomotu or on the application 
made to it and after due trials, testing and such other requirements, as it may deem necessary to satisfy 
itself, recommend to the Committee of the kind or variety of silk-worm seed, silk-worm hybrid seeds and 
races available in the market for notification by the Central Government for production and commercial 
exploitation. 

8E. **Registration Committee.**—(1) No silk-worm seed of any kind or variety shall, for the purpose of 
production or for commercial exploitation, be produced, supplied, distributed, traded, sold or otherwise 
disposed of by a producer or dealer unless he is registered by the Registration Committee in such manner 
as may be prescribed. 

(2) The Committee shall constitute the Registration Committee consisting of a Chairperson and such 
number of other members not less then two to assist him in the discharge of his duties as the Committee, 
may determine. 

(3) The Registration Committee shall have power— 

  (a) to register the silk-worm seed of the notified kind or variety after scrutinising claims that the 
silk-worm seed conforms the kind or variety duly notified by the Central Government; 

  (b) to  register  the  silk-worm  seed  producer  after  ensuring  that  the  facility  for  seed  production 
meets  the  requirement  or  conditions  for  maintaining  quality  standards  as  notified  by  the  Central 
Government; 

  (c) to register the silk-worm dealer after scrutinising their claim made in the application; 

  (d) to perform such other functions as are assigned to it by the Committee. 

(4) Every application for registration under sub-section (1) shall be made in such form and contain 
such particulars including conditions and be accompanied by such fees as may be prescribed. 

8F. **Constitution of Seed Certification Agency.**—The Committee may, by order, constitute one or 
more Silk-worm Seed Certification Agencies or accredit the existing certification agencies according to 
such criteria as  may  be  specified  by  regulations  to  conduct  inspection  for registration  of  producers and 
dealers. 

8G. **Constitution of Central Seed Testing Laboratories.**—(1)  The  Committee  may,  by  order, 
establish the Central Seed Testing Laboratories and accredit the existing laboratories of the Board or the 
State Governments having such facilities as may be specified by regulations. 

(2) The  Central  Seed  Testing  Laboratories  and  the  accredited  laboratories  shall  carryout  such 
functions as may be entrusted to it by the Committee from time to time. 

(3) The  Committee  may,  by  order,  appoint  such  person  as  it  thinks  fit  or  notify  the  officials  or 
employees of the accredited laboratories having such qualifications as may be specified by regulations to 
be the Seed Analyst in the Seed Testing Laboratories and define the local limits of their jurisdiction. 

8H. **Appointment of Seed Officers.**—(1) The Committee may, by order, appoint such person as it 
thinks  fit,  or  notify  an  employee  of  the  Board  having  such  qualifications  as  may  be  specified  by 
regulations to be the Seed Officers and define the local limits of their jurisdiction. 

(2) Every  Seed  Officer  shall  be  under  the  administrative  Control  of  the  Committee  and  shall  be 
responsible for inspecting the seeds and the facilities available with the seed producers and dealers before 
or after their registration to ensure adherence to the standards and conditions laid down in this regard. 

(3) The Seed Officer may— 

  (a) take samples of any silk-worm seed of any kind or variety from— 

     (i) any producer or dealer; or 

     (ii) any person who is in the course of conveying such seed to a purchaser or a consignee; or 

     (iii) a purchaser or a consignee after delivery of such seed to him; 

  (b) exercise such other powers as may be specified by regulations. 

8-I. **Export and Import of Silk-worm Seed.** — 

(1) The Committee shall advise the Central Government from time to time on the export and import 
of  silk-worm  seed  and  the  Central  Government  may,  by  notification,  specify  the  terms  and  conditions 
including exim policy for export and import of silk-worm seed. 

(2) All import of silk-worm seed shall conform to the quality standards specified under sub-section (2) 
of section 8C. 

(3) For the purpose of ensuring compliance with the conditions and quality standards for governing 
such  import,  the  Central  Government  may,  by  order,  authorise  officers  of  the  level  of  Assistant 
Commissioner to  exercise the  powers  of inspection at  the  borders  and  ports,  and  such  officers  shall  be 
deemed to be the Seed Officers for the purposes of this Act. 

(4) The  Central  Government  may,  by  notification,  permit  for  research  purposes,  import  of  an 
unregistered  variety  of  silk-worm  seed  in  such  quantity  and  subject  to  such  conditions  as  may  be 
specified. 

(5) The Central Government may, by notification, restrict the export or import of silk-worm seed of 
any kind or variety if it considers that it may adversely affect the silk industry or on such other grounds, 
as it may consider necessary. 

8J. **Statement by silk-worm seed producers.**—Every registered silk-worm seed producer and dealer 
shall furnish periodic statement to the Committee in such form, manner and at such intervals as may be 
specified by regulations.] 

9. **Funds of the Board.**—(1)  The  Central  Government  shall  from  time  to  time  make  grants  to  the 
Board of such sums as the Central Government may consider necessary for enabling the Board to exercise 
its powers and discharge its duties under this Act. 

(2) The  funds  of  the  Board  shall  be  kept  in  such  bank,  or,  invested  in  such  manner,  as  may  be 
prescribed and shall be expended by the Board only in the performance of its functions under this Act or 
for meeting such expenses as are authorised by the Act or by rules made thereunder, 

10. **Imposition of cess on certain kinds of silk.**—(1)  With  effect  from  such  date  as  the  Central 
Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette appoint, there shall be levied and collected as a 
cess for the purposes of this Act a duty of excise on all filature raw silk, and on all spun silk, reeled in the 
territories to which this Act for the time being extends at such rate as the Central Government may, by 
notification in the Official Gazette, from time to time fix. 

(2) The said duty of excise shall be payable by the reelers of filature raw silk or spun silk and shall be 
paid by them to the Board within one month from the date of the receipt of the notice of demand from the 
Board in that behalf. 

(3) The said duty of excise may be recovered as if it were an arrear of land revenue. 

(4) For the purpose of enabling the Board to assess  the amount of the duty of excise payable under 
this section by the reelers of filature raw silk or spun silk,— 

  (a) the  Board  shall,  by  notification  in  the  Official  Gazette,  fix  the  period  in  respect  of  which 
assessments shall be made, and 

  (b) every reeler of filature raw silk or spun silk shall furnish to the Board within the prescribed 
time a return specifying the total amount of filature raw silk or spun silk reeled during such period. 

(5) If any reeler of filature raw silk or spun silk fails to furnish such return within the prescribed time 
or furnishes a return which the Board has reason to believe to be incorrect or defective, the Board may 
assess the amount payable by such reeler in such manner as may be prescribed. 

(6) Any reeler feeling himself aggrieved by an assessment made under this section, may, within three 
months of the receipt of the notice under sub-section (2), apply to the District Judge or such other civil 
judicial  officer,  as  may  be  prescribed,  for  the  cancellation  or  modification  of  the  assessment;  and  such 
District  Judge  or  judicial  officer  shall  after  giving  the  Board  an  opportunity  of  being  heard,  pass  such 
order as he thinks proper; and such order shall be final. 

(7) The proceeds of the duties of excise paid to the Board shall first be credited to the Consolidated 
Fund of India and the Central Government may, thereafter, from time to time, pay to the Board from and 
out of such proceeds such sums of money as it may think fit. 

11. **Control by the Central Government.**—(1) All acts of the Board shall be subject to the control 
of the Central Government which may cancel, suspend or modify as it thinks fit any action taken, or order 
passed, by the Board. 

(2) The  records  of  the  Board  shall  be  open  to  inspection  at  all  reasonable  times  by  any  officer 
authorised in this behalf by the Central Government. 

12. **Accounts of the Board.**—(1) The Board shall keep such accounts, and in such manner and form, 
as may be prescribed, respect of all moneys received and expended by it. 

(2) The accounts of the Board shall be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India at 
such  intervals  as  may  be  specified  by  him  and  any  expenditure  incurred  in  connection  with  such  audit 
shall be payable by the Board to the Comptroller and Auditor-General. 

(3) The  Comptroller  and  Auditor-General  of  India  and  any  person  appointed  by  him  in  connection 
with  the  audit  of  the  accounts  of  the  Board  shall  have  the  same  rights,  privileges  and  authority  in 
connection with such audit as the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India has in connection with the 
audit of Government accounts, and, in particular, shall have the right to demand the production of books, 
accounts,  connected  vouchers  and  other  documents  and  papers  and  to  inspect  any  of  the  offices  of  the 
Board. 

(4) The accounts  of the  Board as  certified  by  the  Comptroller and  Auditor-General  of  India  or  any 
person appointed by him in this behalf together with the audit report thereon shall be forwarded annually 
to  the  Central  Government  and that  Government  shall  cause a  copy  of  the  same  to  be  laid before  each 
House of Parliament. 

(5) A copy of the accounts of the Board as so certified together with the audit report thereon shall be 
forwarded simultaneously to the Board. 

12A. **Annual report.**—The  Board  shall  prepare  for  every  financial  year  a  report  of  its  activities 
and achievements during that year and submit the report to the Central Government in such form and on 
or before such date as may be prescribed, and that Government shall cause a copy of the report to be laid 
before each House of Parliament. 

13. **Power of Central Government to make rules.**—(1) The Central Government may, by 
notification in the Official Gazette, make rules to carry out the purposes of this Act. 

(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, rules made under 
this section may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:— 

  (i) the term of office of members of the Board, the circumstances in which and the authority by 
which members may be removed and the filling of casual vacancies in the Board; 

  (ii) the procedure to be followed at meetings of the Board and at the standing committee for the 
conduct of business and the number of members which shall form a quorum at any meeting; 

  (iii) the  maintenance  by  the  Board  of  records  of  business  transacted  by  the  Board  and  the 
submission of copies thereof to the Central Government; 

  (iv) the holding of a minimum number of meetings every year; 

  (v) the power of the Board, its Chairman and Standing Committee with respect to the incurring of 
expenditure; 

  (vi) the conditions subject to which the Board may incur expenditure outside India; 

  (vii) the  preparation  of  budget  estimates  of  receipts  and  expenditure  of  the  Board  and  the 
authority by which the estimates are to be sanctioned; 

  (viii) the maintenance of the accounts of income and expenditure of the Board; 

  (viiia) the form  of  the  annual report  of  the  Board  and  the  date  on  or before  which it  shall  be 
submitted to the Central Government; 

  (ix) the deposit of the funds of the Board in bank and the investment of such funds; 

  (x) the re-appropriation of estimated savings from one budget head to any other budget head; 

  (xi) the conditions subject to which the Board may borrow funds; 

  (xii) the conditions subject to which and the manner in which contracts may be entered into by or 
on behalf of the Board; 

  (xiii) the delegation to the Standing Committee or the Chairperson or the Vice-Chairperson 
or members or officers of the Board of any of the powers and duties of the Board under this act; 

  (xiv) the staff which may be employed by the Board and the pay and allowances, leave and other 
conditions of service of officers and other employees of the Board; 

  (xv) the travelling and other allowances of members of the Board and or the Standing Committee; 

[^5][(xva) specifying the allowances or fees of the persons associated by the Committee under sub-
section (2) of section 8A; 

  (xvb) matters incidental to the production, supply, distribution, trade and commerce in silk-worm 
seed under clause (x) of sub-section (2) of section 8B; 

  (xvc) manner  of  registration  of  a  producer  or  dealer  by  the  Registration  Committee  under  sub-
section (1) and form for making application and fees to be paid under sub-section (4) of section 8E;] 

  (xvi) the purposes for which funds of the Board may be expended; 

  (xvii) the  maintenance  of  the  registers  and  other  records  of  the  Board  and  of  its  Standing 
Committee; 

  (xviii) the collection of any information or statistics in respect of raw silk or any product of silk; 

[^6][(xix) the manner of grading, marketing, developing and distributing raw silk and products of silk 
industry;] 

  (xx) any other matter which is to be or may be prescribed. 

[^8][13A. **Power to make regulations.** —(1) The Committee may, in consultation with the Board, and 
with the previous approval of the Central Government, by notification, make regulations not inconsistent 
with  the  provisions  of  this  Act  and  the  rules  made  thereunder,  to  provide  for  all  matters  for  which 
provision is necessary or expedient for the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of this Act. 

(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such regulations may 
provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:— 

  (i) procedure in regard to transaction of business at the meeting of the Committee under clause (a) 
of sub-section (6) of section 8A; 

[^5]. Ins. by s. 10, ibid. (w.e.f. 1.7.2007). 
[^6]. Subs. by s. 10, for clause (xix) (w.e.f. 1-7-2007). 
[^8]. Ins. by s. 11, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-7-2007). 



  (ii) laying  down  of  various  standards  relating  to  kinds  or  varieties,  production,  testing,  supply, 
distribution, trade and commerce and export and import of silk-worm seed under sub-section (2) of 
section 8B; 

  (iii) to specify the criteria for establishing Central Silk-worm Seed Certification Agencies under 
section 8F, criteria and jurisdiction of Central Seed Testing Laboratories and qualifications of Seed 
Analysts under sub-sections (1) and (3) of section 8G and qualifications of Seed Officers and their 
other powers under sub-section (1) and clause (b) of sub-section (3) of section 8H; 

  (iv) the form, manner and intervals at which statement by producer and dealer may be furnished 
under section 8J. 

13B. **Laying of rules, regulations and notifications.**—Every rule, regulation and notification made 
under this Act shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before each House of Parliament, while it 
is in session, for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more 
successive  sessions,  and  if,  before  the  expiry  of  the  session  immediately  following  the  session  or  the 
successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification in the rule or regulation or 
notification or both Houses agree that the rule or regulation or notification should not be made, the rule or 
regulation or notification shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the 
case  may  be;  so,  however,  that  any  such  modification  or  annulment  shall  be  without  prejudice  to  the 
validity of anything previously done under that rule or regulation or notification.] 

14. **Penalties.** — (1) If any person— 

  (a) in any return to be furnished under this Act makes any statement which is false and which he 
knows to be false or does not believe to be true, or 

  (b) obstructs any officer of the Board [^2][Committee and Registration Committee] in the exercise of 
any power, conferred, or the discharge of any duty imposed on him by or under this Act, or 

  (c) having the control or custody of any account book or other record, fails to produce such book 
or record when required so to do under this Act, 

he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which 
may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both. 

(2)  If  the  person  committing  any  offence  specified  in  sub-section  (1)  is  a  company,  every  person 
who, at the time the offence was committed was in charge of, and was responsible to, the company for the 
conduct  of  the  business  of  the  company  as  well  as  the  company  shall  be  deemed  to  be  guilty  of  the 
offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly: 

  Provided  that  nothing  contained  in  this  sub-section  shall  render  any  such  person  liable  to  any 
punishment provided in this Act, if he proves that the offence was committed without his knowledge or 
that he exercised all due diligence to prevent the commission of such offence. 

(3) Notwithstanding  anything  contained  in  sub-section  (2),  where  an  offence  under  sub-section  (1) 
has been committed by a company and it is proved that the offence has been committed with the consent 
or connivance of, or is attributable to any neglect on the part of, any director, manager, secretary or other 
officer  of  the  company,  such  director,  manager,  secretary  or  other  officer  shall  also  be  deemed  to  be 
guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly. 

*Explanation.*—For the purposes of this section,— 

  (a) “company” means any body corporate and includes a firm or other association of individuals; 
and 

  (b) “director” in relation to a firm means a partner in the firm. 

[^2]. Ins. by the Act 42 of 2006, s. 12 (w.e.f. 1-7-2007). 



[^1][14A. **Penalty for contravention of sections 8C and 8E.**—If any person contravenes the provisions 
of sections 8C and 8E of this Act or regulations made thereunder or any notification relating to silk-worm 
seed he shall be punishable with a fine of five thousand rupees which may extend to twenty-five thousand 
rupees besides suspension or cancellation of the registration to produce silk-worm seeds.] 

15. *[Prosecution  to  be  with  consent  of  Central  Government.] Omitted  by  the  Central  Silk  Board 
(Amendment)Act, 2006* (42of 2006), s. 14 (w.e.f.1-7-2007). 

15A. *[Jurisdiction of Courts.]Omitted bys. 14, ibid. (w.e.f.* 1-7-2007). 

16. **Bar of legal proceedings.**—No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against the 
Board,  or any  member  or officer  of  the  Board,  for  anything  in  good  faith  done  or  intended  to  be  done 
under this Act. 

[^2][16A. **Effect of Act and rules, etc., inconsistent with other enactments.**—The provisions of this 
Act  or  any  rule  or  regulation  made  thereunder  shall  have  effect  notwithstanding  anything  inconsistent 
therewith contained in any enactment other than this Act or any instrument having effect by virtue of any 
enactment other than this Act.] 

17. *[Temporary powers of the Central Government.]Omitted by the Central Silk Board (Amendment) 
Act,* 1953 (31 of 1953), s. 11. 



[^1]. Ins. by Act 42 of 2006, s. 13 (w.e.f. 1-7-2007). 
[^2]. Ins. by s. 15, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-7-2007).